Hi Joan I think I can explain the two registration numbers for these entries. I have the same thing for an 1852 marriage. These records are early, and as such, are church records rather than official registration records which did not exist then. (Started 1855? in Victoria.) The official BDM folk gathered up all the early church records and numbered them. That is one number. The other one is the entire batch from that particular church - a sort of cover folder that just says something like "Early marriage records from St Francis' Melbourne 1840-1855". I was concerned about the same thing and asked for a photocopy of both certificates. They did do that, and explained why there were two numbers. Hope this helps Dawn -----Original Message----- From: Joan Canning [mailto:ja.perl@bigpond.net.au] Sent: Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:28 PM To: AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Thompson Hi Chris Sorry, no luck locating death. On checking deaths for Thompson in 1852 (when he was widowed) located a Sarah, age 23. (Age fits but no parents recorded). On checking marriages - a William Thompson married Sarah McKenna in 1848 - 2 entries - Registration Nos. 40608 and 584. Son (William) born to William & Sarah McKenna in 1849 and a daughter (Catherine) in 1851. Each of these entries had denomination as Rom.Catholic and the Parish as St.Francis, Melbourne. Strangely, every entry was duplicated with different registration numbers. Could be a long shot that this may be your William.. Only way to confirm would be to purchase the marriage certificate, but this could turn out to be a waste of money. Not sure whether parents were recorded on certificates back then. Good luck Joan ==== AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS Mailing List ==== Practice safe genealogy - don't include the personal details of the living. -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.9/185 - Release Date: 28/11/2005

Its also a matter of reading the old records as well. The handwriting in many instances was simply atrocious and very hard to decipher. So often two people charged with the responsibility of transferring the Church Records could not determine the hand written entries the same way so 2 entries were registered. If you look carefully at the Index entry you will often find minor differences in the spelling of one name and the other but also its often a difference in some other detail like place of BDorM or even a date of BDorM that is not disclosed in the Indexes and until you actually get both it doesn't make sense. The more cynical would suggest a Government conspiracy in getting more from us in Fees having to purchase 2 Certificates but perhaps we judge a bit harshly in this instance. I recently had occasion to help a friend with details of the demise of an Aunt from as recent at 50 years ago and the same happened to me - 2 entries. I sent for both Death Certificates and it was the exact same person in every detail - parents children husband etc except one showed the death as 1st and the other as the 7th as it turned out we managed to verify the date as the 1st from other sources but if you looked at the original hand written Certificate you could clearly mistake the 1 for a 7. If it was like that only 50 years ago I can imagine the handwriting from 150 years ago. Today's city Drs are bad enough - anyone ever tried to read a prescription?? Cheers Ron Phillips Melbourne Researching PHILLIPS and COMERFORD ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dawn Webb" <dawnwebb@optusnet.com.au> To: <AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 8:27 AM Subject: RE: Thompson > Hi Joan > > I think I can explain the two registration numbers for these entries. I > have the same thing for an 1852 marriage. > > These records are early, and as such, are church records rather than > official registration records which did not exist then. (Started 1855? in > Victoria.) The official BDM folk gathered up all the early church records > and numbered them. That is one number. The other one is the entire batch > from that particular church - a sort of cover folder that just says > something like "Early marriage records from St Francis' Melbourne > 1840-1855". > > I was concerned about the same thing and asked for a photocopy of both > certificates. They did do that, and explained why there were two numbers. > > Hope this helps > > Dawn > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Joan Canning [mailto:ja.perl@bigpond.net.au] > Sent: Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:28 PM > To: AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Thompson > > Hi Chris > > Sorry, no luck locating death. > > On checking deaths for Thompson in 1852 (when he was widowed) located a > Sarah, age 23. (Age fits but no parents recorded). On checking > marriages - > a William Thompson married Sarah McKenna in 1848 - 2 entries - > Registration > Nos. 40608 and 584. > > Son (William) born to William & Sarah McKenna in 1849 and a daughter > (Catherine) in 1851. > > Each of these entries had denomination as Rom.Catholic and the Parish as > St.Francis, Melbourne. Strangely, every entry was duplicated with > different > registration numbers. > > Could be a long shot that this may be your William.. Only way to confirm > would be to purchase the marriage certificate, but this could turn out to > be > a waste of money. Not sure whether parents were recorded on certificates > back then. > > Good luck > Joan > > > ==== AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS Mailing List ==== > Practice safe genealogy - don't include the personal details of the > living. > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.9/185 - Release Date: 28/11/2005 > > > > ==== AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS Mailing List ==== > Threaded archives at > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/aus-vic-goldfields >